With demand outstripping supply in the construction industry, the pressure on recruiters and sub-contractors to employ workers from outside of the UK is greater than ever, meaning that right to work checks have to be more stringent to combat modern slavery.

Credas is a new app which has been created to help those who manage construction recruitment to save time and money and provide peace of mind that their employees and sub-contractors are verified to work in the UK.

The Cardiff-based company uses real-time facial recognition technology to quickly process and verify over 4000 types ID to help construction companies to recruit ethically.

Since the introduction of the Modern Slavery Act in 2015, all companies with an annual turnover of more than £36m must issue a Transparency Statement, detailing what they have done to ensure modern slavery is not present in their business or supply chain.

Earlier this year, a Government report estimated that there are between 10,000 and 13,000 modern slaves in the UK*, and in a 2015 research report by the European Union, construction was second on the list of economic sectors in the EU most prone to labour exploitation.**

Credas’ CEO Rhys David said: “Demand is currently outweighing supply in the construction industry, meaning the need for a scalable, quick and temporary workforce sees no sign of waning.

“Consequently, the risk of a forced workforce entering the sector is increased, yet the industry still has a lot do when it comes to tackling modern slavery. It is an industry which relies on sub-contractors, and so is an easy target for traffickers. Due diligence is difficult to undertake, but essential, and construction companies are forced to go through long processes to avoid putting themselves at risk.

“The main issue for construction companies is ensuring that all employees – regardless of where they are on the supply chain – have been properly verified before stepping on-site. By integrating the right technology and processes early on in recruitment, businesses can ensure they are compliant and that their staff are safe.

“Firms face huge financial and reputational damage if they are found to be breaching modern slavery law. By putting in place facial recognition software and verifying staff documents early on, risk is minimised later down the line.”

Credas gives project managers and recruitment staff the ability to verify new starters’ Right to Work documents quickly and easily, with a suite of products and services designed to cut the time and cost it takes to onboard staff by using real-time facial recognition.

The Credas verification process consists of three simple steps – a selfie, a photo of the photo ID and a liveness test. Credas does the rest. The liveness tests ensure that the person is present when the verification photo is being taken.

The Credas app is compatible with all mobile devices (iOS and Android), ensuring that the verification process can happen swiftly, safely and at any time that’s convenient to the client and user – even on-site.